Long time without posting comes from a 2700 mile ride from home. The good news is that Sparrows is shaping up. Several poets are now a sure thing for Sparrows 2007. Some names I can drop are: Don McIver, a champion slam team member from Albuqurque, Jane Hillberry from Colorado College with her erotic crazy Jane poetry, Jim Tipton award winning poet from somewhere deep in Mexico, and Kory Ford a young poet with a hip poetic voice from Hollywood, CA.
Here's my saga and perspective on a Christmas that is creeping up in a different way this year.
Merry Poetry. Wage it, read it, write it, post it, need it, feed it. Amen.
Over the River and Through the Woods
the ride through the snow
was not to grandmother's house
to no house to strange relatives
and no dough and cold ice on
the road just past the mississippi river
santa lives in some other country
this year and all my babies are
in Colorado and all these babies
live here away from thier mothers
like boarding school abandonment here
is like a thick piece of bread waiting
for the knife wanting the sweet
butter of familiar smell
this year i'll be santa claus
and wonder where the reindeer
live i'll stay away from chimnies and
mrs. santa dress in black and decorate
with red reverse the roles, thank those
who love me for sending money
ask god for the car payment
carry my presence on my back
with no place to make cookies
maybe this will be the year
for fairy god mothers and wise men
maybe it won't matter
if there is a santa i believe
in something, poetry for sure
friends who last through all my
downfalls and the goodness that
seems to triumph over economics
and politics like rivers ignoring
their banks where accounts
are overdrawn and the illusion
of funds can be printed from the
internet, good god when all is
said and done it's a cosmic joke
and god knows i love to laugh
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Post-Thanksgiving Thoughts
Poetry is a way of seeing the world. Would love to get some new poetic views from yous. Here's a quick e-poem of mine from this morning.
American Perspective
from an Economic Refugee
on the road
the roots cut
the story untold
the glory nowhere to
be found around
the world a refugee
economic political
hypocritical who
cares unaware of
cold and peanut butter
sandwiches three times
a day we had slept
night after night in
our own bed
Next post from the road. Jude
American Perspective
from an Economic Refugee
on the road
the roots cut
the story untold
the glory nowhere to
be found around
the world a refugee
economic political
hypocritical who
cares unaware of
cold and peanut butter
sandwiches three times
a day we had slept
night after night in
our own bed
Next post from the road. Jude
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
On the Road Again
"On the road again," I sing to myself stuck in L.A. traffic today, millions on the road and me planning a garage sale for the day after the turkey slaughter to put pennies in my pocket and somehow make the car payment. Haven't worked in so long don't know what a pay check looks like any more. I am definately no longer a full time writer, I'm a full time loser, but hey I'm in good company, half of the people I know can't figure out how to live and pay their regular bills in America today. Who are those people who are in a good economy? Maybe it's just that so many people I know are poets??? No, I think it's more widespread than that.
Ads for what you can buy in a store are an insult when you can't pay the rent. People talk about the latest movies, but it's been months since you could afford the ticket. You look everyday, sometimes get a great interview, wait six weeks and finally end up begging the interviewer to tell you if you have the job or not, which he does. A polite, we offered the job to someone else. It's America, coming now to the vast once middle class.
So anyway, we're sellling out, going north to family to regroup, find a way out of this black hole. This subject's not very poetic, but it's real. News yesterday said 15% of N.Y. City residents can't pay their bills or buy enough food. Let's see, the population of N.Y. is around 8 million. That's 1 million 200 thousand people who can't meet their basic needs. What is happening to the richest nation in the world?
I'll be thinking about that in the next few weeks on the road, sold out, wondering what's next.
Ads for what you can buy in a store are an insult when you can't pay the rent. People talk about the latest movies, but it's been months since you could afford the ticket. You look everyday, sometimes get a great interview, wait six weeks and finally end up begging the interviewer to tell you if you have the job or not, which he does. A polite, we offered the job to someone else. It's America, coming now to the vast once middle class.
So anyway, we're sellling out, going north to family to regroup, find a way out of this black hole. This subject's not very poetic, but it's real. News yesterday said 15% of N.Y. City residents can't pay their bills or buy enough food. Let's see, the population of N.Y. is around 8 million. That's 1 million 200 thousand people who can't meet their basic needs. What is happening to the richest nation in the world?
I'll be thinking about that in the next few weeks on the road, sold out, wondering what's next.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Sparrows 2007
We have some great poets coming for Sparrows 2007. Kory Ford who has posted on this blog, Jim Tipton whose picture is here on the side and a host of others. Keep checking. It's going to be a great year for poetry. Just got back from a trip to Colorado and great meeting with the board. We have finished submitting two grants to help us finance some wonderful improvements. Don't miss it. Mark your calanders for March 1-4, 2007. Here's a picture of Kory Ford.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Poet Hunger
Days go by and I don't write one poem or get poetry in my Inbox. Then one morning I wake up starving. After a few minutes to come completely awake, I know! I'm craving poetry. It's a hunger for what is real, for beauty and concrete images. Talking to motel owners, writing grants and working at board meetings is challenging and sometimes even rewarding, but it does nothing for the growling belly that wants only poetry. Last year I challenged two other poets to write a poem a day for 30 days. We actually did it twice, so that for two months we were satiated. I speak Brazilian Portuguese and we have a word that literally translates as FULL, but the real meaning is the kind of satisfaction that is sexual fulfillment. Reading a poem is sometimes like that. Let poetry and justice roll down like a river.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Poetry and Money
Seems like everyone I know is scrapping the bottom of the barrel where money is concerned right now. Very few American poets make enough money from their poetry to live on, maybe none, except for the teaching, speaking and other writing they do. Putting on a Poetry Festival requires money and doesn't bring much in. Guess that leaves love of poetry as the main motivation, but wouldn't it be a great civilization that supported poets.
Poetsville
Job description
Must be a spell binding
truth telling word wielding
sloppy dresser somewhat
geekish with an uncanny
desire to disturb the
peace of those in power
In addition please be
willing to set the
record straight
make children dance
and grandmas giggle
make soldiers lay down
their arms or use them
for hugging and please
use your creativity to
pour golden vitality
into our beloved language
taking back war talk
and recovering the universal
language of all people
amore.
Salary:
Commensurate with a non-competitive
decent standard of living wage.
Benefits..honor and respect
from the citizens of this nation.
Poetsville
Job description
Must be a spell binding
truth telling word wielding
sloppy dresser somewhat
geekish with an uncanny
desire to disturb the
peace of those in power
In addition please be
willing to set the
record straight
make children dance
and grandmas giggle
make soldiers lay down
their arms or use them
for hugging and please
use your creativity to
pour golden vitality
into our beloved language
taking back war talk
and recovering the universal
language of all people
amore.
Salary:
Commensurate with a non-competitive
decent standard of living wage.
Benefits..honor and respect
from the citizens of this nation.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Breeding Poetry
I love poetry that breeds poetry. That's what happened with Kory's butt shaking piece from October 18th. Julie another Sparrows fan has given us her version you can see here. Also there has been a discussion on a poetry circle that I subscribe to that is asking basically, "How do we help change the languagethat has us and our land and our people in thrall?" My response is a poem that I'll also post here. Keep the poetry coming. Love it!
Scattering Seeds
-after Kory by Julie
I don't want to butt shake in the kitchen
I want a good old fashioned butt shaking to happen in the street
near the neighbors xeriscaped garden
she waters it every other day
and when I confront her
with the meaning of
xeriscape
she bends over
butt in the air
pulls out thistle and bindweed
from in between the sandstone walkway
one day I hit the metal edge separating my grass from her mulch
broke my lawnmower
created a sharp edge
my dog tends to prefer pissing on one plant near the sharpness
I stuck an old sign there to protect his feet
my other neighbor
the man
points to the sign says
she lost you know
and I say
Haven't we all?
Haven't we all
don't we all lose the battle with weeds is what I mean
Rain or water comes every other day and
I can almost hear the seeds popping
like snap rockets in the street
on the fourth of july or Mexican independence day
that's what's happening this week in
living rooms across the country
seeds being scattered
some sprout in to gardens and others in to weeds
I want to do what my neighbor does
I want to bend over in the garden
butt shake
and pull
How to Change the World in Word
by Jude
perhaps a let it rip session
in loud voice now and then
but all praise as in Sherman
Alexie's most beautiful poem
about the saving of his child
or perhaps a loud open lunged
singing in the woods with no
human to hear a halleluiah chorus
of trees, bugs, land and me
how about listening to the language
of children and learning how to speak
simply again or silence how is tares
away the pretense of the well spoken
passionate words as in the search we
make for endearments for lovers whose breath
makes us too grateful for words
or the music of sirens the invention
of new meanings reclaiming the language
of war as in wage peace or poetry or love
made up word sounds that carry meaning just
in the curl of the tongue and the lips around them
singing everything for a day as children do when
they're riding in cars and alone with the godfilled
fantasy that says they really are the center
of the universe, not i'm the only one, but there
is no place or person that is not that center
maybe cultivate words for each person on
earth as in a name with meaning that might
change at any time or the adam action a reaction of
letting eve name animals this time and take
away some scientific, wasteland thought and
replace it with something dark, gooey with
scent and color take away the keys for a week
and see what a beautiful tree free piece of paper
asks of the perfect pen and in usage
a new word everyday to place on the
earth as a love offering something to
pass on to our children's children that
says more, not less and why not two by two
or ten by ten why should scientists be the ones
to invent new words and not poets rise
up with me and sing meaning into this
vast land and don't say waste or want say
ravish me, say fecund, say mudlefrucker
say amen.
Scattering Seeds
-after Kory by Julie
I don't want to butt shake in the kitchen
I want a good old fashioned butt shaking to happen in the street
near the neighbors xeriscaped garden
she waters it every other day
and when I confront her
with the meaning of
xeriscape
she bends over
butt in the air
pulls out thistle and bindweed
from in between the sandstone walkway
one day I hit the metal edge separating my grass from her mulch
broke my lawnmower
created a sharp edge
my dog tends to prefer pissing on one plant near the sharpness
I stuck an old sign there to protect his feet
my other neighbor
the man
points to the sign says
she lost you know
and I say
Haven't we all?
Haven't we all
don't we all lose the battle with weeds is what I mean
Rain or water comes every other day and
I can almost hear the seeds popping
like snap rockets in the street
on the fourth of july or Mexican independence day
that's what's happening this week in
living rooms across the country
seeds being scattered
some sprout in to gardens and others in to weeds
I want to do what my neighbor does
I want to bend over in the garden
butt shake
and pull
How to Change the World in Word
by Jude
perhaps a let it rip session
in loud voice now and then
but all praise as in Sherman
Alexie's most beautiful poem
about the saving of his child
or perhaps a loud open lunged
singing in the woods with no
human to hear a halleluiah chorus
of trees, bugs, land and me
how about listening to the language
of children and learning how to speak
simply again or silence how is tares
away the pretense of the well spoken
passionate words as in the search we
make for endearments for lovers whose breath
makes us too grateful for words
or the music of sirens the invention
of new meanings reclaiming the language
of war as in wage peace or poetry or love
made up word sounds that carry meaning just
in the curl of the tongue and the lips around them
singing everything for a day as children do when
they're riding in cars and alone with the godfilled
fantasy that says they really are the center
of the universe, not i'm the only one, but there
is no place or person that is not that center
maybe cultivate words for each person on
earth as in a name with meaning that might
change at any time or the adam action a reaction of
letting eve name animals this time and take
away some scientific, wasteland thought and
replace it with something dark, gooey with
scent and color take away the keys for a week
and see what a beautiful tree free piece of paper
asks of the perfect pen and in usage
a new word everyday to place on the
earth as a love offering something to
pass on to our children's children that
says more, not less and why not two by two
or ten by ten why should scientists be the ones
to invent new words and not poets rise
up with me and sing meaning into this
vast land and don't say waste or want say
ravish me, say fecund, say mudlefrucker
say amen.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
WAGE POETRY
Wage Poetry is the theme for SPARROWS 2007. Judyth Hill, who will be on Sparrows main
stage this year, coined the phrase, "Wage Peace," right after 9/11. It has caught the imagination of the anti-war movement. People wear it on T-shirts, etc. Wage Poetry is a poet's call to change the world in Word and Deed. Can't wait to see how this year's poetic voices help us transform the world through the power of poetry.
stage this year, coined the phrase, "Wage Peace," right after 9/11. It has caught the imagination of the anti-war movement. People wear it on T-shirts, etc. Wage Poetry is a poet's call to change the world in Word and Deed. Can't wait to see how this year's poetic voices help us transform the world through the power of poetry.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
New Poetry
Sorry it's been a while. The Sparrows Board is working hard to create Sparrows 2007.
The blog is getting some great poetry from Sparrows fans, so wanted to post them out here. This one is from Kory Ford who will be perfroming at Sparrows 2007.
A Soul music morning
for me, please.
One that starts early,
sounds funky
and lets you butt-shake
through the kitchen
while you put the coffee on.
One that invents
new pet names for you,
sugar dumplin'
while the morning sun
pours in
a color somewhere between
whiskey and honey.
It's fun to iron your shirt
on a Soul Music morning,
and the shower is just right.
The toothpaste explodes
minty freshness and
obliterates morning breath
and guys like
Shuggie Otis and
William DeVaughn
remind us to be thankful for what we got.
Diamond in the back,
sun roof top,
diggin' the scene
with a gangsta lean
oooohhh-hooooo!
And here's a great one from our
Coordinator for Sponsors, Connie
Sun Showers
by Connie Kaye
I forgot all about sun showers.
I was so busy moving against the squall
parading my bravado in the face of hurricanes
protecting my heart from drowning in the
torrential downpours of a tempestuous existence
that I forgot about the gentle tickling of
springtime rain.
Sun showers are
flirtatious, they’re like
handholding, they’re like
the intimacy of a long-term friendship.
They are
first kisses and
smiles from across the room…
Hearts a-flutter and sometimes
your breath grows heavy and a little
deep, like sleeping in a hammock
outside a cabin on a Hudson River morning, like
wildflowers covering the landscape on
Cascade Creek or
a skinny-dipping sunset
on Lake Louise.
It has to do with virtues such as
Peace
Respect
and purest Love.
It has to do with gifts freely given and
accepting the offerings of a generous creation.
It has to do with
unconditional passions,
forgiveness
and grace.
I forgot about sun showers all this time…
until one summer afternoon
a sprinkling rainfall stopped by to visit
and I remembered its name.
The blog is getting some great poetry from Sparrows fans, so wanted to post them out here. This one is from Kory Ford who will be perfroming at Sparrows 2007.
A Soul music morning
for me, please.
One that starts early,
sounds funky
and lets you butt-shake
through the kitchen
while you put the coffee on.
One that invents
new pet names for you,
sugar dumplin'
while the morning sun
pours in
a color somewhere between
whiskey and honey.
It's fun to iron your shirt
on a Soul Music morning,
and the shower is just right.
The toothpaste explodes
minty freshness and
obliterates morning breath
and guys like
Shuggie Otis and
William DeVaughn
remind us to be thankful for what we got.
Diamond in the back,
sun roof top,
diggin' the scene
with a gangsta lean
oooohhh-hooooo!
And here's a great one from our
Coordinator for Sponsors, Connie
Sun Showers
by Connie Kaye
I forgot all about sun showers.
I was so busy moving against the squall
parading my bravado in the face of hurricanes
protecting my heart from drowning in the
torrential downpours of a tempestuous existence
that I forgot about the gentle tickling of
springtime rain.
Sun showers are
flirtatious, they’re like
handholding, they’re like
the intimacy of a long-term friendship.
They are
first kisses and
smiles from across the room…
Hearts a-flutter and sometimes
your breath grows heavy and a little
deep, like sleeping in a hammock
outside a cabin on a Hudson River morning, like
wildflowers covering the landscape on
Cascade Creek or
a skinny-dipping sunset
on Lake Louise.
It has to do with virtues such as
Peace
Respect
and purest Love.
It has to do with gifts freely given and
accepting the offerings of a generous creation.
It has to do with
unconditional passions,
forgiveness
and grace.
I forgot about sun showers all this time…
until one summer afternoon
a sprinkling rainfall stopped by to visit
and I remembered its name.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Always Do Right--Mark Twain
Got a Mark Twain quote out of a little book published in 1937 called, Thoughts on the Business of Life. He says,"Always do right. This wil gratify some peope and astonish the rest."
Sometimes the news of greed and offense that's coming from the high offices of our country depress me and leave me without hope. It's been a bit of an empty season of poetry for me. I think in 2006, doing right in government would astonish everyone. Maybe that's why Hugo Chavez got a standing ovation at the UN after his speach. So I'm coming back to poetry. Writing and reading it is so powerful in bad times. Many poets have been imprisoned and killed during repressive times. So here's one of mine. If you're out there, send me some back. This poet could use your poetry.
Want to Be a Poet Again
waiting for the butterfly
state after crawling around
like a worm for way too long
doing the ups and downs
caterpillaring along day after
day of not knowing when
the chrysalis will come
and transform this poet from
worm to wet winging creature
Sometimes the news of greed and offense that's coming from the high offices of our country depress me and leave me without hope. It's been a bit of an empty season of poetry for me. I think in 2006, doing right in government would astonish everyone. Maybe that's why Hugo Chavez got a standing ovation at the UN after his speach. So I'm coming back to poetry. Writing and reading it is so powerful in bad times. Many poets have been imprisoned and killed during repressive times. So here's one of mine. If you're out there, send me some back. This poet could use your poetry.
Want to Be a Poet Again
waiting for the butterfly
state after crawling around
like a worm for way too long
doing the ups and downs
caterpillaring along day after
day of not knowing when
the chrysalis will come
and transform this poet from
worm to wet winging creature
Friday, September 22, 2006
Festival of the Imagination
EVENT
Check out this great spoken word festival in Del Norte, Colorado. I only wish that I could be there. Three days of amamzing and free beautiful events. Stewart Warren is the main orgainzer. He's a great poetry performer, published poet, host and supporter of positive work in the world. Many amazing performers will be there. www.festivalofimagination.org
MUSINGS
I was reading a book by Helen Thomas today. She is the grandmother of White House Correspondants. I'm reading her book for several reasons, but the main one is that she is our Elder. Americans have few, listen to almost none and may perish from our adoration of Youth and disdain of our Elders. Of course many of our elders, those who hold office, chair boards and are CEO's of companies have nothing to offer themselves or us, having lived lives of greed and self-gratification. Still, there are many who have much to share, but are left alone to become bothersome duties that we listen to without attention because they talk on. Ever had no one to talk to for several days? It can cause diarrhea of the mouth. I would love to have an older woman or man who cared about me and advised me on a daily basis. Don't have one. Do You? Few and far between. It won't be long before I'll be an Elder. I need training for God sake. I'm going to keep an eye out for my Elders, flesh and blood ones close to home. Guess this has something to do with poetry. Know any old poets we can invite to Sparrows this year? I mean really old wise poets? Let me know. JJ
Check out this great spoken word festival in Del Norte, Colorado. I only wish that I could be there. Three days of amamzing and free beautiful events. Stewart Warren is the main orgainzer. He's a great poetry performer, published poet, host and supporter of positive work in the world. Many amazing performers will be there. www.festivalofimagination.org
MUSINGS
I was reading a book by Helen Thomas today. She is the grandmother of White House Correspondants. I'm reading her book for several reasons, but the main one is that she is our Elder. Americans have few, listen to almost none and may perish from our adoration of Youth and disdain of our Elders. Of course many of our elders, those who hold office, chair boards and are CEO's of companies have nothing to offer themselves or us, having lived lives of greed and self-gratification. Still, there are many who have much to share, but are left alone to become bothersome duties that we listen to without attention because they talk on. Ever had no one to talk to for several days? It can cause diarrhea of the mouth. I would love to have an older woman or man who cared about me and advised me on a daily basis. Don't have one. Do You? Few and far between. It won't be long before I'll be an Elder. I need training for God sake. I'm going to keep an eye out for my Elders, flesh and blood ones close to home. Guess this has something to do with poetry. Know any old poets we can invite to Sparrows this year? I mean really old wise poets? Let me know. JJ
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Check out Laurie's comment on Yesterday's Post
It's autumnal Eqinox. Just walked a labyrinth! Something really ancient that had
me feeling close to the earth even though it was on cement and the sound of traffic almost erased the new age music playing in the background. I really love to do labyrinths. They have been found in almost every culture. Mazes that are so like life, with twists and turns and many roads that all lead to the same place. Here's a poem I wrote a few years ago after I walked one. JJ
Labyrinth Walk
The spiral the Sufi the Quail and You
Dervishes Dancing and Turning
Chorus:
Step step--step step and Whirl
Step step--step step and Whirl
Aya Away Aya Away
Said the Eagle come fly with me
Take a look at what I see.
Families turtles lizards and snakes
Trees in the shape of a girl
Angels and men and woman and child
Painting mandalas of light
(Chorus)
Enter the puzzle but walk without thought
For where or when you should go
It’s already laid out with the
Boundaries intact to relieve all the rights and the wrongs
(Chorus)
The path that you walk is of your own soul
You’ve known from beginning of time
No hunger or thirst ‘cause the
Treasure is found resting deep inside your own skin.
(Chorus)
Maiden and Man and Mother and Crone
Together as well as alone.
We enter the sunset and rise with the moon
Birthing god from the heart of her womb.
(Chorus)
me feeling close to the earth even though it was on cement and the sound of traffic almost erased the new age music playing in the background. I really love to do labyrinths. They have been found in almost every culture. Mazes that are so like life, with twists and turns and many roads that all lead to the same place. Here's a poem I wrote a few years ago after I walked one. JJ
Labyrinth Walk
The spiral the Sufi the Quail and You
Dervishes Dancing and Turning
Chorus:
Step step--step step and Whirl
Step step--step step and Whirl
Aya Away Aya Away
Said the Eagle come fly with me
Take a look at what I see.
Families turtles lizards and snakes
Trees in the shape of a girl
Angels and men and woman and child
Painting mandalas of light
(Chorus)
Enter the puzzle but walk without thought
For where or when you should go
It’s already laid out with the
Boundaries intact to relieve all the rights and the wrongs
(Chorus)
The path that you walk is of your own soul
You’ve known from beginning of time
No hunger or thirst ‘cause the
Treasure is found resting deep inside your own skin.
(Chorus)
Maiden and Man and Mother and Crone
Together as well as alone.
We enter the sunset and rise with the moon
Birthing god from the heart of her womb.
(Chorus)
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Mayan Calendar
Day Two Almost,(I posted the first one in the wee hours of this morning.)
It's been wierd day for this poet. Today I heard talk of the Mayan Calendar and predictions that the world as we know it, ends in 2012. That's not much time
for anything but writing poetry. If I've only got another five years, think I'll just spend time with the people I love and write write write POETRY. I haven't
been sleeping well. That's probably where these weird thoughts come from. I'm dreaming about Sparrows though. Hope to hear from a bunch of great poets soon.
JJ
It's been wierd day for this poet. Today I heard talk of the Mayan Calendar and predictions that the world as we know it, ends in 2012. That's not much time
for anything but writing poetry. If I've only got another five years, think I'll just spend time with the people I love and write write write POETRY. I haven't
been sleeping well. That's probably where these weird thoughts come from. I'm dreaming about Sparrows though. Hope to hear from a bunch of great poets soon.
JJ
Sparrows 2007 March 1-4 Colorado's Performance Poetry Festival
HERE IT IS. The voice of Performance Poets who connect at sparrowspoetry.com
Our 7th annual festival is in the works. For more information go to http://www.sparrowspoetry.com. Poetry that entertains, enlivens and is out to change the world.
We believe that poetry is for the people and that poetry can make the world better.
What do you think? If you've been to one of the 6 annual festivals, let us know
what it was like and what changes you would like to see. This is a space for you
to be heard by other poets and anyone who shows up.
Our 7th annual festival is in the works. For more information go to http://www.sparrowspoetry.com. Poetry that entertains, enlivens and is out to change the world.
We believe that poetry is for the people and that poetry can make the world better.
What do you think? If you've been to one of the 6 annual festivals, let us know
what it was like and what changes you would like to see. This is a space for you
to be heard by other poets and anyone who shows up.
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